Save You
by StirlingLuci
Summary: Gajeel joins Fairy Tail but is met with cold shoulders and anger. While he doesn't blame them, he finds it harder and harder to prove himself. Levy sees a broken man hiding behind the piercings and iron scales. Believing that everyone deserves a second chance, she makes it her mission to make him feel accepted. On a life threatening job, they begin catching feelings...
1. Ch 1 - Loose Strings

Gajeel's POV

 _That stupid, fire spitting, cotton candy haired twinkie has gotten on my nerves for the last time. He is going to pay!_ I thought as I headed toward the guild. I was fuming. I was just about to burst through the doors, screaming at the worm, making a scene when I felt something small bump into my chest causing me to almost trip. I glanced down and I was met with the prettiest brown eyes looking back at me. Her crazy blue hair stuck everywhere. Her yellow ribbon had fallen off her head and was hanging around her neck. I wondered if she had even noticed. She was wearing the same bright yellow dress she had worn yesterday. _She must have been here all night again. Does she even know what day it is?_ Her eyes widened with surprise and realization.

"Oh my gosh. I am so so so sorry, Galeej." She closed her book. _Figures_.

"It's fine, but my name is-"

"I am so sorry. I didn't mean it. I-I can fix it." I looked down to see that her book, which had things sticking off of it, had caught on my shirt and ripped it. "Oh, I'm so so sorry."

"No, no. It's fine. I-" I looked back at her face. Tears were forming in her big beautiful eyes. _Oh what had I done? Now, I made her cry. The one person I swore I would never hurt again is crying because of me. How do I fix it?_ I reached for her. "No, don't-"

A squeak erupted from her as she jumped back. Now I saw fear in her eyes. _I am just making things worse. Why can't I do anything right?_ I gulped and took a step back. I raised my hands up in defense. She watched me carefully. I turned and walked away. I couldn't help it. I hated seeing that look on her. I never wanted to see it again. I promised that I would never be the reason she cried, and I would severely hurt, if not kill, who ever did. There were consequences for breaking a promise, especially that promise.

My mind jumped to that night. The night I first saw that look on her face.

Levy's POV

Thoughts were running through my head too fast to comprehend them, let alone organize them. _What day was it? How long had I been up? Yeah, I better go home._ I started walking towards the door. I kept my nose in the book I had been reading for the past..well who knows how long. I had to be careful with this one though, it had decorations sticking off of it. The sun hit the paper and reflected off making me squint.

Suddenly, a shadow passed over me. _I know I lose track of time, but that was fast._ Then I bumped into something firm. I looked up and looking down at me were dazzling, black eyes. His face was hard, and I could tell he was angry. _Oh no. I made him mad._

"Oh my gosh. I am so so so sorry, Galeej." I closed my book as I tried to take a step back. _Crud, I said his name wrong. Didn't I?_ I didn't get very far because I felt bit of resistance and heard a tear. _Now what had I done?_

"It's fine, but my name is-" I saw his face soften. _I have to fix this. I keep messing up. I'm so clumsy._

"I am so sorry. I didn't mean it. I-I can fix it." I reached to untangle the strings from the decors sticking off. "Oh, I'm so so sorry." He looked down and saw what I was talking about. _Yup. He's gonna be mad._

"No, no. It's fine. I-" He said. I could feel tears welling up. _I want to be noticed by him, but not in this way._ "No, don't-" In the corner of my eye, I saw something coming towards me. My first instinct was to jump away instead of attack. _I know I'm a wuss._ It turned out to be his hand. I looked up at him. He had an unreadable expression on his face.

Suddenly, he took a step back. There was something unusual in his eyes. _Fear? Sadness?_ Then, he turned and walked quickly away. _What did I do?_ I glanced down. There were some stray strings hanging from it. _I have to fix it. Not just his shirt, but it's a place to start._


	2. Ch 2 - Not Letting Go

Levy's POV

I raced after him. _How is he so fast when he is just walking?_ I turned a corner only to see him disappear around another corner. _Maybe it's because I'm sleep deprived._ Though, it was more likely because I am so small.

After many twists and turns, it was apparent he was just wandering. _There is no pattern! He is going down the same paths and making circles!_ Then I took a turn and he was no where in sight. _No! I lost him!_ I glanced around. _Right or left?_ I took a deep breath as I turned. _Please be right._

Gajeel's POV

I stood on the bridge staring at the water. I glared at my face. _I hate my face._ I clenched my jaw tightly. _It only represents the terror and destruction I used to bring._ Levy's scared face popped into my mind. _Still bring._ A sigh escaped my lips. _What is the point? Everyone hates me. Why do I even try? No one will ever accept me._ As I stared at the water, I thought about how easy it would be to fall in. How easy it would be to relax and let the water take over. _It wouldn't last that long. Then everyone can breathe easy._

I leaned over the edge. _How easy it would be._ I was ready to flip over the edge when I heard a faint voice. _What? Am I hearing things? Must be. Who would be calling my name? Unless they wish to get revenge. If so, let them come. I am ready for death. I accept my punishment._

Levy's POV

"Gajeel!" I called out. _He's got to be here somewhere._ Turns out it hadn't been right. _He must have turned left._ Now, I was heading towards the bridge. _He's probably long gone by now._ I sighed as I stopped for a moment to look around. _I knew it. He's gone. I guess I'll have to talk to him tomorrow._ I turned to go home, but something inside of me made me stop. I didn't know why, but I just couldn't leave. I can't go home until I talk to him. I turned back around with a new determination.

Then I saw him. He was leaning over the edge of the bridge. _Is he about to fall in? Is he okay?_ I watched as he leaned farther over. _No, he's going to throw himself in!_ I began running to the bridge.

"Gajeel!" I ran up the stone, hoping and praying I got there in time. My eyes blurred with tears. _Why would he want to do that? Did I do something? Who is making him feel like this? There is no reason he should want to take his life._ As I got closer, I could barely see through the tears, but I kept going. Finally, I reached him. When I did, I wrapped my arms around him, and held him as tight as I could. Through the sobs I said, "I'm not letting go! So if you're gonna take your life, you're taking me with you."

Gajeel's POV

When I looked up, I saw Levy. _What is she doing here?_ She called out my name again, _Why is she looking for me? Didn't I scare her? This makes no sense._ I watched as she began running for me. I didn't know what to do, so I just stood frozen as she made her way to me. As she approached, I could see the tears streaming down her face. _Is she in trouble? Has someone hurt her? If anyone has, I will kill them._ Then another thought popped into my head. _Why did she come to me of all people?_

When she finally reached me, she wrapped her arms around me. The most shocking words came out of her mouth. "I'm not letting go! So if you're gonna take your life, you're taking me with you."

She was probably holding on as tightly as her small arms could, but I knew I could easily peel her off. I didn't. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't. I was frozen in shock. _She saw that? How did she know I was getting ready to take my life? Why does she want to save me?_ I looked down at her and her blue mess of waves. _She is certainly full of surprises._

"Um." _What do I say?_ "Okay." I wrapped my arms around her awkwardly. I could feel her body shaking from the sobs. "I'm not going to take my life." _Not with you hanging on._

"I don't believe you." the muffled response came. _How did she see right through me?_

"How can I make you believe me?" She looked up at me. Her brown eyes turning red from all the crying. _Crying over me._

"Promise." I opened my mouth to speak, but she cut me off. "Promise me you will never take your life." I stared at her for a moment before responding.

"I promise."


	3. Ch 3 - Stitches and Patches

Levy's POV

I walked down the street. _I still can't believe that worked._ I glanced up at Gajeel. He had even agreed to let me sew his shirt. We were headed to his apartment. _Why did he want to take his life? What made him feel that horrible? That helpless?_ It just made me wonder even more about him. About what his former life was like. About what he had gone through.

I tripped on one of the stairs. My arms shot out to catch myself, but I stopped before I even hit. Firm, strong arms had caught me. I looked up into Gajeel's eyes. They held a look of concern that changed to something else. Before I could read it, he steadied me and continued walking.

I followed him. We stopped at a door which he unlocked and opened. He gestured for me to go first. I walked in. It was small but clean. Cramped but cozy. There wasn't much to say about it. It had a kitchen that connected to the living room. There was two doors across the room. _Probably the bathroom and his bedroom._ I wondered what his bedroom looked like. When I realized what I had just thought, my face turned red. I glanced at him. He was walking across the room. _Good, maybe he won't notice._

He opened the door on the left. It was his bedroom. My face got even hotter. He turned and looked at me.

"You gonna just stand there?" I looked at him wide eyed. _What do I do?_ "Have a seat on the couch or something. I'll grab the stuff." He disappeared. I walked over to the couch and sat down. _Now what?_

He reemerged with a small box. "Here." He handed it to me. I opened it. It had everything I needed: needles, thread, etc. I looked back up at him. He was still wearing the shirt I needed to patch up. "What?"

"I...um." _Well this is awkward. I have never asked a guy to take off his shirt before._ "I n-need your s-shirt." I stammered. I could feel my face getting hotter. _How much redder can it get?_

"Oh!" He said looking down. "Sorry." He said right before pulling his shirt off. _I guess it can get redder._ My eyes scanned over his body. _Oh sweet jesus._ I admired his perfect body and ripped muscles. I couldn't breathe. "Hey." I looked at his eyes. He had a slight blush on his cheeks. He was still holding out the shirt. _Crud._

I took it with shaking hands. I looked down and began prepping one of the needles. I watched as he walked to the kitchen. _Oh god. Is any part of him not beautiful?_

Gajeel's POV

As we walked up the steps, she seemed lost in thought. It didn't surprise me when she tripped. I reacted quickly grabbing her around the waist. Her big brown eyes met mine. _Why is she so cute? It's not fair._ I steadied her and continued walking. _Stop. Don't think about her that way. Just because she saved your life doesn't mean anything. Besides, she's off limits._ I jammed the key into the lock and opened the door. I gestured for her to go first.

When she walked in, she took in every inch. I closed the door and walked past her. _Does she like it? What is she thinking in that pretty head of hers?_ I opened my bedroom door. I turned and saw her standing there awkwardly. Her face was turning red. "You gonna just stand there?" _Wow, smooth._ She looked at me slightly scared. _Crud._ "Have a seat on the couch or something. I'll grab the stuff."

I turned and walked back into my room. _Stuff? Wow, intelligent._ I looked around. _It's gotta be here somewhere. There!_ I spotted the small box. My mother's sewing kit. It was all I had left of her. I had never shown it to anyone, ever. Now, I was about to let Levy use it? I stood there for a moment. _She's special._ I told myself, and it was absolutely true.

When I walked out, her face was just a light pink now. _What made her turn that red? "Here."_ I handed it to her. _Please, be careful with it._ She held it gently then looked back up at me. She had an expectant look in her eyes. "What?" I blurted out. I couldn't help it. She made me uncomfortable.

"I...um." She started awkwardly. "I n-need your s-shirt." She stammered.

"Oh!" _Oh. Wow, how stupid can I look?_ "Sorry." I pulled off my shirt quickly without thinking. When I held it out, her face darkened more than I had ever seen it. Her eyes skimmed up and down me. _Oh my gosh. Is she checking me out? Seriously? No, no. She's off limits._ "Hey." I choked out. I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks. She looked up at me. Her face darkened even more. _How does it get that dark?_ She took it with trembling hands. _Did I scare her again? Good job, Gajeel._

I turned and walked towards the kitchen. I needed something to do to get my mind off her. _Maybe food will help._


	4. Ch 4 - Tea, How Hard Can It Be?

**A/N: I just want to say thank you soooo much for the reviews! They mean a lot! :) Enjoy more of Levy and Gajeel!**

 **...**

 **Gajeel's POV**

My hands shook as I attempted to fill a metal pot with water. _I think it's for tea._ I stared at it as it filled, though I was not at all curious about it. My thoughts wandered to the bluette in sitting in my living room. The way her petite hands shook as they took my shirt. The way she smiled embarrassed. The way her face turned redder than a tomato. The way her brown eyes raked over my body. The way her petite frame had been pressed against his body. The words that poured from her mouth. _Why? Why had she done that?_

Cold water pouring over my hand made me snap back to reality. The tea thing was overflowing.

"Shit." I mumbled. I turned off the water, poured a bit out, and set it on to the stove. After turning the heat on under it, I turned around, and much to my surprise, Levy was standing there. _What do I say?_ She held up my shirt.

"It's fixed." She whispered. After a moment, she took an awkward step forward and held her arm up. Her eyes wouldn't meet mine. I reached out and took it.

"Wow, that was fast." I held it up. Sure enough, it was all patched up. I could barely tell it had been ripped in the first place. "Good job." I looked at her. She was looking at the ground. Then, at the walls. Then, at the counters. Then, the stove. Her eyes lingered there. Either she had given up avoiding my gaze, or she felt my eyes on her because she finally looked at me. My heart sped up. I tried to breathe properly, but it was difficult. _How does she do this to me? Why do I react like this? I have faced death many times and never batted an eye. Yet, she can make me flustered with just a look. I doubt I would be able to fight properly unless I was protecting her._

"Are you making something?" It took me a moment to process that she had asked a question.

"Ah yeah. Tea." I glanced at it. "At least I was trying to. I've never done it before." I looked back at her. "But how hard can it be?" At that, she smiled.

"What kind?"

"Um." _There were different kinds of tea?_ She giggled.

"Where's the tea?" I walked over to a cupboard and opened it. I reached in, pulling out a box of tea bags. Then I handed them to her. She skirted around me and began pulling out the little bags. She turned back to me. "Where do you keep your mugs?"

Without thinking, I stepped next to her and opened the cupboard. I reached in and grabbed two mugs. I set them next to her. That was when I realized, I hadn't really stepped next to her, rather I was engulfing her. I took a step back. "Sorry."

"It's fine." Her cheeks were turned pink. I did my best not to smile at it. I watched as she prepared the tea. Her movements were quick and graceful. When she was done, she handed me a mug and held the other one with both of her small hands. She blew on it causing the steam to disappear for a moment. Then she took a sip and sighed.

I looked down at mine. It was a light green and smelled like funny. I took a sip and a strong flavor attacked my tastebuds. It turned bitter. I gagged. After choking it down, I asked, "How do you drink this stuff?"

She laughed. "You could try sweetening it." I handed it back to her.

"I don't want to mess it up any more." I said. She giggled again. It was becoming one of my favorite sounds. She grabbed the honey jar sitting on the counter then turned back to me. I got the message. I stepped next to her, being careful not to get too close, and opened a drawer. She selected a small spoon. I watched as she put a bit of honey in my mug and stirred. When she handed it back, I sipped it. It still had the strange taste, but it was no longer bitter. I drank more.

"Better?" I nodded. Her eyes lit up.

"I guess it's harder than I thought." I said, a playful smile on my lips. She grinned causing my heart to flutter again.


	5. Ch 5 - Questioning

**Levy's POV**

 _I'm sure my face is bright red._ I thought as I sipped my tea. I glanced at the forgotten shirt on the counter. _He really needs to put it back on._ I glanced back at him. He looked so awkward. I almost let out a giggle. I took another drink. I moved my head around pretending to be interested in the wall or something, but my eyes were on him ninety percent of the time. _Oh, how I wanted to reach out and touch him._ I felt my face redden at the thought. I looked back at my tea, hoping to get my mind off him and his perfect body. My thoughts betrayed me and wandered to when he had gotten close in attempts to grab the mugs. _Oh, how close he had been._ It not only reminded her of how small she was, but how thin her self control was wearing. _He had also brushed against my backside._ Again my face grew hotter.

"Are you okay?" His voice sounded closer. I looked up, and he had stepped closer.

"F-fine." I stammered. He tilted his head. _He's not convinced._ "I-I should go." _Why does he have to be so close? And shirtless? And muscular?_ I set the cup down. "Thanks for the tea."

"Thanks for making it and for patching up my shirt."

"You're welcome." He stepped back allowing me past. I walked cautiously to the door. Once there, I heard him rush over.

"Wait." I turned. "Let me take you home. I don't really live in the best part of town."

"Alright, but-" he had a moment's look of panic. "You may want to put a shirt on." He looked down and flushed.

"Y-yeah." _Had he really forgotten?_ "Give me a moment." With that, he headed back to the kitchen.

 **Gajeel's POV**

 _You idiot!_ I was still scolding myself halfway to her home. "This way." Her voice broke into my mind.

"Yeah, I know." She looked at me curiously when I responded. _Damn._ "I-I know b-because...because of th-that time...that I had...I had to kidnap you." By the time I finished, I was not looking at her. Guilt overcame me.

"You have a good memory." she commented. "Like that you know exactly where to go. I mean, that was a while ago." She rambled. I felt one of the corners of my mouth tugging up as I realised she was trying to make me feel better. "Stop feeling guilty!" She said as we entered the apartment building. We climbed the steps to the second floor. "I'm serious. It's in the past." She continued until we stopped in front of her apartment.

She fiddled with her keys. "Like, you keep moping about what happened. I've forgiven you. You have changed. So, just stop." She looked me in the eye. _I don't get her. She should be terrified of me. She should have a guard on her at all times. Yet, she fixing my shirts. She was having tea with me. I was walking her home to_ protect _her. She is saving me._

"Thanks." I whispered. _She believes in me._ She gave me a small but radiant smile that made my heart speed up. I attempted to smile back. _I hope it's not as awkward as it feels._ She unlocked her door and opened it a crack. I began to turn, but was stopped when she spoke.

"Gajeel?" I could see conflict on her face. "Let's have tea again sometime." I nodded with a smile. She smiled back with relief on her face. Then she disappeared through the door. I lingered for a moment before heading back to my home.

 **...**

 **A/N: So, I want to put a fight scene in here. Like maybe they go on a job together, but I'm not sure what the job should be. Any ideas?**


	6. Ch 6 - Jobs

**Gajeel's POV**

As I walked to the guild, I took a deep breath. I just need to keep my focus. My dreams had consisted of a certain bluette. _This was not good. She was just trying to be my friend. I need to stop thinking of her like this._ My eyes scanned the room. It was wild as usual. Gray and Natsu were arguing about something. Juvia was watching from afar, like always, sighing over Gray. I didn't understand why she was like that around him. She had never shown interest in anyone else. Now, I understood. He saved her. She could be who she wanted to be. I understood now because Levy did the same for me. Though, who I wanted to be was someone Levy deserved.

"Gray! Put your cloths back on!" Erza screamed while walking up to their table. I rolled my eyes and walked to my corner in the back. I watched as they didn't acknowledge her at first, but then she grabbed them by their hair and drug them outside. I chuckled a bit to myself. When they were out of sight, I continued to search the room.

My heart leaped when I saw her bright blue waves. She was walking while reading. It didn't surprise me. It was a different book from yesterday, and it wouldn't have surprised me if she had finished it. She wore red glasses that slightly magnified her eyes. It made her look silly but adorable. Her hair was held up in a ponytail with an orange scrunchy. A few curls had escaped and framed her face. I wanted to walk over and brush them out of her face. _Stop that._ I scolded myself. I stood and walked to the board to look for a job. _Maybe there is something worth my time._

I scanned it. There didn't seem to be any new ones up. I sighed, and barely refrained from looking back at Levy. _I need something to get my mind off her._ I continued to stare at the board. I didn't realise I was lost in thought until a voice snapped me out of it.

"Is it that intriguing?" I looked down to see a pair of beautiful brown eyes looking back at me. Levy smiled sweetly.

"No." I murmured. "I just need a job, but I'm not sure which one."

"Oh." She looked back at the board for a moment before looking back at me. "Well, do you want to come with me on a job?" I wasn't sure if it was my surprised look or something else, but she rushed into an explanation. "B-because Jet is off hanging out with some of his old friends that are in town for a couple days, and Droy is visiting his family. I have a really good one that I have been wanting to go on, but I promised them I wouldn't go on any missions alone. I finally deciphered the message." She spoke quieter. "That's what I was working on when I ran into you and ripped your shirt." She looked at the ground.

"Sure." When the words left my mouth, her head snapped back up in surprise. After a second, her face lit up, and she started giggling.

"Come on." She said giddily as she grabbed my arm and led me away. I found myself smiling and wanting to laugh along with her. I wondered how long this job would take. They could take a long time depending on the job, and it would be just me and Levy. Alone. _What have I gotten into?_

 **...**

 **A/N: Soooooo Exams are finally over! Yay! For you guys that means, more updates! XD Sorry, I have been bad about it. I will try to be better, especially now that a new semester has started. Anyways!**

 **I am definitely putting a fight scene in here. I just need ideas for the job. If you have any, PM me or drop a review. Thanks guys.**


	7. Ch 7 - On The Road

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait, but here is an extra long chapter for ya. Enjoy!**

 **Also, Special thanks to Niue for the mission idea(which you'll read more about in the next chapter). :)**

 **...**

 **Levy's POV**

I walked next to Gajeel with a smile. He wore a scowl, but I figured it was just for show. I kept glancing at him, but he seemed to be ignoring me. Then a thought occurred to me. _Does he not want to travel with me? But then, why did he take the job? Desperation? Need to pay the bills? Possibly._ I sighed.

Once we cleared the city limits, he relaxed. _Maybe I was worrying about nothing._ Then I wondered why he didn't relax until he was out of the city. _Was that just a coincidence? No...there is no such thing as a coincidence. There is always a reason for everything._ _So is it the city? Or something else?_

"What are you thinking so hard about?" I met Gajeel's gaze. "We have barely left the city. There's no way you could be trying to decipher it already." He said with a smirk.

"No. Um," _Do I ask him about it?_ "I was thinking about the letter."

"Letter?"

"Yes. The job description talked about a letter that needed deciphering, and that danger was to be expected. Based on the price they are offering, they aren't lying." He raised an eyebrow. "The higher the price the more difficult or dangerous it is. Sometimes both."

"You're a bad liar."

"What?! I-"

"You weren't thinking about the job." _Oh. Am I that easy to read?_

"Um..Do you want." I paused."Do you want to be here? Are you regretting your decision to join me?"

"Yes, I want to be here. I know that you will be safe. No, I am not regretting this decision. Why would you ask that?" He replied. I thought for a moment about his wording. _"This decision." Well, he probably does have a lot of regrets. Wait, is he doing this to protect me? Wow, he cares. Or...he doesn't think I can protect myself._

I blew out a breath of air. _I have been on a lot of missions by myself. Well, I suppose he doesn't know me very well. And he did kind of kick my ass._ I chewed on my lip subconsciously. _So is he coming just to protect me?_

"Are you here just to protect me?" I blurted out. _Oops._ "I-I mean-" I stuttered.

"That's not the only reason, but I can breath easier knowing that I am here to protect you." He interrupted me.

"Oh." _So what else is he here for?_

 **Gajeel's POV**

 _She is so cute._ I watched as her brows furrowed together, and she chewed on her lip subconsciously. When she released it to speak, it was slightly pinker, and it made me want to kiss them more. _Stop it._ I looked away.

"Oh." Was all she said. I snuck a glance at her, and she was thinking again. Her pretty eyes were unfocused, and she nearly walked into a power line pole. I reached out and pulled her towards me. She fell against me, and I held her up with an arm around her shoulders. A squeak escaped her, and color rose to her cheeks. I gulped as I felt heat spread through my face and neck. I released her.

"S-sorry." She stuttered again. _So cute._

"It's okay." I responded, weakly. I cleared my throat. "So, what were you thinking about this time?" I said, gruffly. She looked at me with wide eyes. _Oh gosh. Her eyes._ They were so pretty. I could get lost in them. _She's talking. Darn. I did get lost._

"-the town?" She finished. _Damn, she asked me something._ "It's just you seemed so tense, but then when we were out of the limits, you changed. I was just wondering if maybe it was the town, someone in it, or," She paused. "If it was me." She was staring at the ground now. _What? Is she serious?_ The way she peaked up at me with worry in her eyes told me she was.

"W-what? It's got nothing to do with you. I-" _How was I supposed to explain this?_ "It's just-" I sighed and ran a hand down my face. "I've made a lot of enemies in that town. I used to fight for fun. I." I paused. _Am I really about to tell her this?_ "I still enjoy it, but I-well I haven't done it in a while. I'm just worried that someone might decide to get revenge, and well I don't want to hurt anyone else. If someone starts a fight, I won't just take it. I'm scared that I'll revert back and-" A hand on my arm made me pause. _I don't want you to ever see me like that._

I looked down at her. Her eyes were spilling over with tears. She sniffed. I opened my mouth to ask her why she was crying, but she hugged me. I wrapped my arms around her and buried my face in her neck.

"I'm proud of you, Gajeel." At those words, I squeezed her tighter and buried one of my hands in her blue waves. I took a deep breath to calm myself, and I ended up smelling her sweet scent. It made me want to kiss her even more than before. _No, I can't do that._ I pulled back, and patted her on the head.

"Thanks." I cleared my throat and continued walking. "Um, we should keep walking. We're gonna want to hit a town by nightfall, or we'll be sleeping outside."

"Um, Gajeel?" I turned as she jogged to catch up. "We're not going to make it to a town by nightfall." I stopped. "It's too far. I figured we would camp out."

"Oh."

 **...**

I watched as Levy spread out her blanket. I leaned against a tree about a foot away. We had found a spot just off the road to camp. I chose a tree as a bed, and she pulled a blanket out of her bed to wrap up in.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" She asked for the hundredth time. She was worried that I would be too cold.

"I'm fine, Levy." I replied. She pursed her lips but didn't push it. She laid down and closed her eyes. I looked around watching for danger. I hear her move and looked at her. She got back up and sat next to me so our legs almost touched. She laid back down.

"If you change your mind, just take some. I won't mind." Then she closed her eyes and fell asleep. I had to admit, it was tempting. But no, I had to keep my distance. No matter how much I was falling for her, I would never be good enough. All I can do is protect her until someone she deserves comes along.

I slid down until I was laying down, too. I placed my hands on my stomach. I stared at the night sky. Stars twinkled. They reminded me of the way her eyes sparkled when she talked about her books. I took a deep breath of the cool night air. I got a lot of her scent. I looked over at the bluette laying next to me. _Oh, how I wish this could continue. I guess I will have to enjoy it while it lasts._ I thought, looking back to the sky. I closed my eyes.

 **...**

 **Levy's POV**

I snuggled into the warm and solid body next to me. The large arms tightened and a sigh escaped from their owner. I could hear their steady, strong heartbeat. I didn't want to ever move from this position.

I opened my eyes and found myself staring at Gajeel's bare chest. _Wha-what?!_ I examined myself. I still had all my clothes on. I looked at him closer and noticed his shirt had merely come unbuttoned. I also noticed we were both wrapped tightly on my blanket. _When had that happened?_

I looked up. He was still sleeping peacefully. I smiled. He didn't look as intimidating. All the stress and worry was gone, too. His beauty was really shining right now. _I just wish I could see his smile again._

Before I could stop and think, I reached up and touched his cheek. It was warm and rough. I moved my hand to his jaw. He moved his head slightly but didn't wake. _Oh, how I want to kiss him._ I ran a finger over his bottom lip. They were soft. At my touch, he licked his lip and my finger. I immediately yanked my hand away. My whole body heated up. _Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. I can't believe that just happened. Better wake him before I do something I will regret. AKA kiss him. I can't risk our friendship over this. He is finally opening up to me._

"Wakey, wakey!" I said loudly, shaking his shoulder. He groaned, grabbed my arm, wrapped me in an immobilizing hug, and fell back asleep. _So he's not a morning person, eh?_

"Gajeel." I whinned. _Oh dear lord. All this pure, wonderful muscle. Do I have to move? Yes._

"You have to get up." I wiggled, but it was useless. I placed my hands on his bare, solid chest. _Oh why must you make this so hard on me Gajeel?_ I pushed against him. He groaned. _Yes! I'm getting somewhere._

 **Gajeel's POV**

I woke to something shaking me. _No. I don't wanna get up yet._ I grabbed the tiny annoyance and immobilized it. _That's better._ I started drifting back into my peaceful sleep. I heard a sweet voice. _A voice like that must be an angel. Probably in my dream. I wanna hear it again._

I woke again to the small creature in my arm wiggling. _Hold still._ After a bit, it stopped. _Good._ Then I felt small, soft hands on my chest. They started pushing me. _What do you want?_ I groaned. Though, I don't think the words actually left my mouth.

"Gajeel. Wake up." The angel's voice became clearer. I opened my eyes to see Levy laying in my arms and pushing on my bare chest. _She_ was that "tiny annoyance" and "small creature".

"Levy?" She smiled.

"Oh good, you're awake. You're really hard to wake up, ya know?" Her blue hair was a mess, but she didn't look any less beautiful. If anything, she looked even sexier. She glanced down and pulled her hands back. Her hands had been lingering on my chest. Her face turned a cute shade of pink. "Um, I'll make breakfast."

With that, I released her, and she stood. I watched as she walked over to her bag and began ruffling through it. I sat up. That's when I noticed had blanket. It had been wrapped around us both. _How long did we lay like that? Doesn't matter. It's the best I've slept in years. I'll treasure it. I just wish I could have been awake for more of it._ I sighed and stood to help her with the meal.


	8. Ch 8 - Complications

**A/N: Hey guys, I know it's been a while, but I've been swamped. Luckily, I'm graduating soon! Anyways, I finally found sometime to write! Yay. Also, thank you sooooo much for the reviews. I read them all (I know I don't reply, but I'm an awkward child who doesn't know how to talk to people. But feel free to message me if you wanna talk!)**

 **Enjoy! :D**

 **Levy's POV**

We walked along the side of the road. Both of us were silent. I glanced at him but never caught his eye. It had been agonizingly silent and awkward since this morning. Is he mad at me? I shifted my pack. No, he would have said something. Right? I stumbled on a rock, but was steadied by his hand on my arm. I looked at him, but he wouldn't meet my gaze.

We walked for hours and finally arrived at the town. The streets were crowded for the evening. As we went towards the center of the city, it thickened. People bumped against me. I was thrown off balance several times. I was so busy trying to stay on my feet, I lost Gajeel. Oh no. I looked around frantically. He was nowhere to be seen. How long has he been gone?

"Gajeel!" I yelled. I probably looked like an idiot standing in the middle of the street screaming. Did I care? No. People kept pushing past me. I was tossed around. I barely noticed. I spun in circles. My height didn't help. "Gajeel!"

"Hey, pretty lady." I spun at the voice. A man smirked at me. He was the same height and build as Gajeel, but was definitely not him. "Whaddya say ya forget about this character that left ya here and come with me?" He touched my arm, and I stepped out of his reach.

"N-no." No one seemed to notice this man about to abduct me. Or they just don't care. He stepped closer, and I kept backing away. He lunged forward. I bolted. I weaved through the crown not really caring where I was going. My size was now to my advantage. I hid in an alleyway. I waited until I couldn't hear him to peek out.

I wandered back into the street. I glanced around. I must have gone far because nothing looked familiar. None of the street names or corners. I ran my small hands through my messy hair. Deep breath. Deep breath. I could feel the panic building up in my chest. Tears threatened.

"Hey you! Seen a tiny blue haired girl? You! What about you? Seen a small bluette woman?" My head snapped up. I knew that voice. I climbed on the trash bin next to me. Sure enough there was my huge companion. He was grabbing random people asking about a small, blue haired, woman. Most of them cowered away. One man peed himself and another woman fainted.

I felt tears stream down my face. I laughed and covered my mouth. I almost called out when I spotted the man who had been chasing me. He walked straight up to Gajeel. No. I jumped down and raced through the crowd. I didn't even notice two men following me.

 **Gajeel's POV**

How could I have lost her? Damn. I searched frantically. Nothing. I knew she was small, but I didn't think she'd disappear. I wandered aimlessly. Anytime I saw blue hair, I ran towards it. I didn't care how many people I knocked over. If it was her, I had to get there as soon as I could before she disappeared again. Though, I still hadn't found her.

"Hey you! Seen a tiny blue haired girl?" I grabbed a random guy. What could I say? I was shook his head and peed himself. "You! What about you? Seen a small bluette woman?" The woman I asked next fainted. I ran a hand down my face. This was getting me nowhere. "Hey you!" I walked up to another man. "Have you seen-"

"I have." I heard a voice behind me. I spun, forgetting the terrorized guy behind me.

"Really?" I asked ignoring the warning in the back of my head. I was too excited to finally hear something about Levy.

"Oh yeah." The guy said smugly. "She's a cutie. She was a little reluctant to come with me, but ya know. Everyone can be persuaded." He put emphasis on the last word, and I knew what he meant. After all, I had been just like him. I also knew how fragile she was.

"What did you do to her?" I ground out. He laughed. I clenched my fists and swung at him. He caught my hand.

"Oh, is that it? I hope she's not counting on you to save her. Makes me wonder if she ran away from you." I hit him in the jaw with an iron fist. He stumbled back. I felt as my entire body turned to solid iron.

"Where. Is. She?" I growled. He spit out blood and snapped his fingers. Two men stepped forward each holding Levy. One had a black eye and the other's lip was bleeding. I felt proud to see she had put up a decent fight. Then I saw the bruises on her and blood dripping from her nose. "Let. Her. Go." I turned back to the guy I had hit.

"I don't think so." He began walking in a circle. Then I noticed there was a crowd watching, but they were staying plenty far away. Smart. "Give us the box and the letter and we'll leave you alone. Until then, she stays."

"What box?" Levy had mentioned something about a letter, but a box?

"Jinx. I don't think they've picked it up yet." The guy with the black eye spoke up.

"Shut up, Kyle." The bloody lip guy said. "Don't speak while the boss is doing business."

"Don't tell me what to do, Link!" Kyle shot back. They began yelling back and forth over Levy's head. They argued over who was stupider and shot insults. Next to me, Jinx facepalmed. I swear he pulled on his hair, too.

"Kyle! Link! Shut up!" He looked more embarrassed than angry. "Get that box and letter then meet us at midnight. There we will exchange."

"I need Levy."

"We all have needs. You can wait until tonight." Kyle spoke up.

"Yeah," Link agreed. "If it's that bad just take care of it yourself for the time being. What do you think showers are for?"

"To clean yourself, idiot." Kyle said. "Though that's not a bad idea."

"No. No. No! I didn't mean like that!" I shouted. What the hell is wrong with them? "I mean I need her to get the box. I don't know where we are going. She's the smart one! You think I could decipher the letter?!" I tried to sound convincing. Though, it was true. I didn't know the first thing about decoding.

"Damn it! Shut up all of you." Jinx yelled. Then he started mumbling about how this wasn't how it was supposed to go. He paced and mumbled some more. Suddenly, he spun and pointed at me. "We'll be back!" He said dramatically. Then he snapped his fingers and he and his henchmen disappeared.

I rushed over to Levy as she collapsed. I picked her up. I looked around and the crowd had disappeared, too. The streets were completely empty. "This is weird." I mumbled to myself. I straightened and looked for a hotel we could check into.

"Two blocks north." Levy whispered. I glanced down at her. She smiled weakly. "Hotel." I nodded, turned, and began walking.


	9. Ch 9 - Danger

**A/N:** _ ***weird narrator voice***_ **After a looooooooooong hiatus, a rare author is spotted through the mist...Could it be? She wrote a chapter in her fanfiction section?! What a surprise. It's been said to happen once in a blue moon...*end scene***

 **Eeyoo! What's up, peeps? College and creative/hobby writing don't mix well. But here I am with a fluffy and action filled chapter. To those of you who have waited and waited and waited and waited and waited and waited and waited on my slow self, congratulations for stay this long; I applaud you. Also, bless your soul. You deserve an award. To those of you who just made it here, I am so so so so so sorry...be prepared for long waits. Hopefully they are worth it. Anyways, thanks for reading. Enjoy.**

 **~Levy~**

"What's the plan?" Gajeel's voice broke through my thoughts. I sighed deeply. Truth was, I had no idea. I was still processing everything that had happened today. I was still worried someone might burst through the door and try kidnapping me, or killing Gajeel. I worried about what they would do if we gave them what they wanted. _Would we give them what they wanted? What would happen if we didn't?_

"I-I don't know." I spoke quietly. I stared at the ceiling of our tiny motel room. The small bed shifted as Gajeel sat down. It kept shifting and my light body rolled across and right into him. A squeak left me as I made full contact with his bare back. I struggled to get up and I felt him shake with a silent laugh. My face flushed. _Ohmygodohmygodohmygod. Gajeel. His bare back. These muscles._ I got off the bed and walked across the room to the tiny kitchenette. I began making tea to calm myself.

"Well...do you have any ideas?" He asked holding back a chuckle. I listened to him shuffle around, before responding.

"Do you really plan on giving them the letter and box?" I turned around, grateful for something else to think about. Also grateful he decided to put a shirt on.

"No." He stood. He turned towards me, piercing me with his red cat like eyes. My heart leaped in my chest. The determination on his face sent chills through me.

"But what if-"

"I'm not letting that happen again." He cut me off. _'That'_ being the kidnapping and beating that I had received earlier that day. I looked at the floor.

"I'm also worried about you, Gajeel." I whispered. Suddenly, his arms were wrapped around me and I was engulfed by him. Luckily he couldn't see me blush.

"Don't." He spoke into my hair. The tension built up over the days slipped away, and I leaned into him. I wrapped my arms around his waist. I felt him relax; I smiled slightly. A whistling made us jump apart. I turned off the heat under the kettle, and the sound stopped. I pulled out a mug and poured the hot liquid into it.

 **~Gajeel~**

"Do you want any?" Levy's soft voice cut the silence.

"S-sure." I sat down on the small bed. Guilt washed over me again as I watched her small frame limp to me with the tea. Again, she was injured because of me. Memories of what I did to her surfaced. _What are you doing? Do you really think there is any way you can redeem yourself?_ I tried blocking out the thoughts as I sipped the hot tea. I flinched at the bitterness of it.

"How's it taste?" Her big brown eyes gazed at me.

"Uh, great." I smiled and drank more. She smiled proudly.

"So," She sat next to me. "What _are_ we going to do?"

"Finish the mission." I replied right before I choked down the last of my tea.

"I mean about Jinx, Kyle, and Link? What are we going to do when they come for the box and letter?" She asked.

I took our empty cups and set them in the sink. I leaned against the counter and stared at the wall. It was hard enough to focus around her with her big eyes and cute smile, but all the guilt piling up was killing me. The bandages and bruises scattered across her made my blood boil. I wanted to end them. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there."

"Gajeel?" She looked up at me with worry in her eyes. "Just...don't do anything unnecessary." I turned away and mumbled about needing sleep. I flicked the light off and laid down on the small bed.

 **~Levy~**

It was barely dawn but we were already on the streets. There was no sign of life. _I don't blame them. I'd much rather being sleeping too, but Gajeel is paranoid._ I thought had woken me after what felt like an hour of sleep. The sun was just peaking over the hills, but we were on our way to the Walter McMoon's house.

"We're probably going to wake him." I spoke for the first time since we left. Gajeel ignored me. "You know, it's really rude to interrupt someone's sleep cycle."

"You'll get over it." He replied. I crossed my arms and did my best to stomp, showing anger, but I eventually gave up. We turned a corner and a café across the street caught my eye.

"Gajeel?" I grabbed his hand. He stopped. "Could we stop for coffee?" He hesitated but nodded. I squealed with glee and we crossed the street cautiously.

 **...**

I took a deep breath. We were almost to Walter McMoon's house, and I had just finished explaining a theory I had about Jinx, Kyle, and Link. Well, it was more about the magic they had been using. I had gone in depth about magic theory and practices. I had gotten excited and just kept talking.

"I'm sorry." I said as we walked up the steps to Walter's home. "I must be boring or confusing you." _Most people would have told me to shut up or left by now._

"Boring? No. Confusing? Not as much as you may think. Not every wizard is naturally talented with magic. Some of us had to study it the way you do. Though usually we stop once we get to a certain point and make the basic magic our own." He smiled warmly. _He's smiling! Ohdeargodsaveme._ My heart sped up, and I smiled back.

He turned and knocked. An elderly man opened the door slightly. "Who are ye? What are ye here fer?"

"Sir, my name is Levy McGarden and this is Gajeel Redfox. We're wizards from the Fairy Tail guild. We came about a job. Are you Walter McMoon?" I spoke formally. The old man opened the door, glanced around, then waved for us to enter.

Once inside, he turned on a single light. All his windows were covered so that no light showed through. He bolted the door several times. He scampered across the room. He pulled out a box with a sealed envelope on top.

"Thank goodness you arrived. There are many people after this. I doubt I can keep it hidden much longer. This is extremely powerful, so I needed someone I could trust. I've known Makarov for years, so I trust he would only allow the best wizards into his guild." He placed the small box in my hands. "The the instructions to opening the box are encrypted in the letter. Good luck."

"Sir, what _is_ in the box?" Gajeel asked.

"I'm not exactly sure what it is or what it looks like, but it will bind two wizards and their magic together multiplying their power. I'm sure you can imagine the disasters that would occur if this fell into the wrong hands."


	10. Ch 10 - Believe

**~Gajeel~**

"Um..." I tried to imagine how that would work. _Binding two wizards? Would they be stuck together forever? Would they become one person?_ I cringed at the thought. Levy stood slack jawed.

"H-how would something like that work?" She tripped over her words.

"I'm not sure." Walter McMoon shrugged. "It's just what the legend says."

"Legend." Levy ran her fingers through her hair. "How did you come across this legend?"

"Uh, my grandpa told me. He said he heard it from a man passing through our village when he was a youngster."

"A..verbally passed...legend." Levy's eye twitched. "Great. Okay thank you for your time. Gajeel let's go." She grabbed my arm, digging my fingernails into my skin. It didn't hurt me, but I could see her knuckles turning white. She was pissed. Every wizard knew verbally passed legends were a terrible source, but wizards like Levy especially hated them. For some reason, non-wizards believed legends more than actual records.

"So um do you think there could be any truth behind what he said?" I asked once we were about a block away. People were starting to move around, but there weren't too many on the street yet. Levy took a deep breath and slumped her shoulders.

"There's truth behind every legend. Just how much is the question. Also, words meaning changes all the time. And then there is the aspect of memory. He said his _grandpa_ told him. Mr. McMoon is old as it is and his grandpa heard it when _he_ was a young boy. Which leaves the true meaning very hard to figure out. It could be anything. It could-" I placed a hand on her shoulder stopping her in her tracks.

"Whoa, calm down." She was frustrating herself again. _She needs to relax._ "We'll figure it out. Right now, let's get some breakfast." She nodded and began walking again.

We wandered around the town looking for some place that was open. Eventually we found this small shop that sold more than coffee. We sat in a small booth in the back and stared at the menus. Everything was packed with sugar. _Is there anything with substance here?_

"Hello," A tall blonde appeared with a large fake smile. "My name is Kim, and I'll be serving you today. Have you decided on anything or do you need more time?"

"A few more minutes, please." I responded.

"Of course." Kim quickly turned away.

"Any idea of what you want?" I asked Levy. She didn't respond. I looked at her over my menu. At first she appeared to be staring at her menu, but she was lost in thought. Her eyebrows were scrunched together, and she was chewing on her bottom lip. I set my menu down and flicked hers. She snapped her eyes to me. "I've never seen someone concentrate that much on food."

"I..wasn't thinking about food." She confessed.

"Well, stop. You can think about that legend later. Right now, we eat. No thinking."

"I can't stop thinking."

"Then think about something else." I waved the waitress over.

"What can I get for you?" Kim said with a strained smile.

"I'll have the breakfast special and coffee." I handed her my menu and looked at Levy.

"I'll have the breakfast bagel and tea." She handed Kim her menu. Once Kim was out of earshot, she asked, "So what _am_ I supposed to think about?"

"Anything that isn't related to the job."

"The whole job? But what about-"

"Shh." I placed a finger to her lips. "No." She crossed her eyes to look at my finger. _Adorable._ I quickly pulled my hand away. _Stop. Don't think about her like that._ She looked at me in a way that made me uncomfortable. It made my heart beat faster, yet I couldn't look away from her.

"You're...different." She finally broke the silence.

"From what?"

"From how you usually act. Usually you're all tough and emotionless. You know, untouchable." She tilted her head slightly. "But now, you're acting...well human."

"Yeah, well..." Honestly, I didn't have a good excuse. I had a really good barrier I kept up. I had a reputation that hid my insecurities. "Whatever." I looked out the window. _If I keep looking at her, who knows what she'll coerce out of me._

"Why?" As soon as she spoke, my eyes snapped back to her.

"Why what?"

"Why do you act differently around me?"

"Um well...everyone has a person in their life that uh..." Memories of the first time I met her surfaced. How I jumped her and her friends. How I hit them. Tying them to the tree. I looked at my hands, thinking of all the horrible things I did. "A person that makes them regret everything they've done. Someone," I took a shaky breath. "That makes them want to be a better person. But rarely does that person believe in them." I glanced back up and watched as realization washed over her face.

"Oh." Silence hung in the air for a few minutes. Slowly I watched as her small hands reached across the table and cup mine. My heart sped up, and I looked up to her smiling face. "I believe in you, Gajeel."

I almost reached across the table to kiss her when Kim arrived with our plates, and like that, the moment was gone. But even with the moment gone, I would forever remember her smiling as she spoke the words, _I believe in you, Gajeel._ I decided I would do everything in my power to keep that.

 **~Levy~**

We were a few blocks away from the apartment and neither of us had said anything. It was a good silence though. Gajeel seemed happier, almost like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. I thought back to when we were sitting at the table holding hands. I felt like something else might have happened, but we had been interrupted. I glanced up at his angled face. Something about his small dark eyes and multiple piercings that weren't intimidating, if anything they were endearing. _Am I crazy for thinking that?_

Gajeel's arm wrapping around me pulled me from my thoughts. My face flushed as he pulled me close to him. "G-Gajeel?"

"Shh..." He hushed. I glanced around and wished I had heightened senses like Gajeel and Natsu. Smoke puffed and Jinx appeared before us once it cleared.

"Hello, hello, hello." He walked two steps and stopped. "I believe you have something for me. A box perhaps?" He smiled slyly.


	11. Ch 11 - Forgiveness

**~Levy~**

My heart pounded as Jinx stepped closer with his sinister grin. I clung to Gajeel's arm and resisted the urge to hide behind him. Gajeel's entire demeanor changed. He straightened his back and squared his shoulders. He even shifted his weight slightly to hide me a bit. It wasn't enough to do much but it did comfort both of us.

"A box perhaps?" Jinx stalked closer. Kyle grabbed me from behind and held a knife to my throat. Link jumped between Gajeel and me to give Kyle time to slit my throat if Gajeel didn't behave.

"You hurt her, I'll fucking kill you." Gajeel's skin was already turning silver.

"Give us the box and he goes free." Jinx responded coolly, making eye contact with me.

"Wha-?" Flame erupted around Gajeel. Kyle yanked us both back because of the heat. It seemed that the flame was alive as it moved closer to him and ate up his clothes.

"Can't fight fire with metal. He'll melt. But of course, if he goes back to his human form, your boyfriend will die." Jinx appeared next to me. Kyle released me. "The box." I reached into my bag pulling it out.

"Levy, NO!" Gajeel screamed. Jinx reached for it, but I yanked it back.

"Put out the fire first." We had a stare down until he pulled back slightly.

"I'll put it one a 10 second timer. It'll give me enough time to get away with the box before he chases us, but not enough time for him to die. How's that sound?" I nodded. He reached towards the flame and I saw a 10 appear above Gajeel's head. It soon turned to 9. I handed the box to Jinx, and he and his companions disappeared. 8. 7. 6. 5. I stood in defeat staring at the ground.

"Gajeel..." 4. I looked up at him, but his gaze silenced me. 3. I felt tears dripping down my face. 2. The flames died down and shrunk away from him. 1. I slumped against the wall. 0. With the flames completely gone, I just wanted to hug him and thank the stars he was alive. I knew he wouldn't accept it.

"Levy." His gruff voice made me look up. He was still metal and his arms were glowing. His clothes were melted off. I quickly looked back to the ground feeling my face heat up.

"We should go back to the hotel and get you some new clothes." I stood and walked away. As I passed him, I could feel the heat radiating off him. If he asked, that's what I would blame my red face on.

...

By the time we made it back, Gajeel was able to turn back to his human form. I gave him an extra cloak I had in my bag. He had tied it around his waist because it was too small to be worn properly. He quickly changed when we finally got into our room.

I sat on the bed and began reading the letters. If the only way to open the box was hidden in these letters then they had no way to open the box and we still had the advantage. Unless they already know how to open it. Or they come back when they can't open the box and threaten Gajeel again. I took a deep breath, pushing the doubts from my mind and read.

...

A hand on my shoulder made me scream and drop the letters. Gajeel yanked his hand back.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

"It's fine. I was just focused." Then I noticed his dripping hair and the smell of cooking.

"I just figured you should eat and get some rest." He held out a plate of meat and vegetables. I took it and began eating. I looked at the small window and saw it was dark outside.

"How long was I sitting here?" I said through food.

"All day. This is the first time I've successfully gotten your attention." Gajeel fiddled with a ripped spot on the blanket. "I thought you were ignoring me." My heart sunk.

"No, no, no." I flushed. "I-I just get really focused and block everything out." He nodded. I continued to eat, trying not to look like I was starving. I hadn't eaten all day.

"So any progress?"

"Not really. I've translated them, but they're just love letters. Letters never sent. Kinda sad really. No names either. Except the signer. Just to his Immortal Beloved." I paused, staring at the papers on the night stand.

"Why did you save me?" His black eyes were wide with an emotion I couldn't figure out. Maybe it was several. Fear. Confusion.

"Why not?" Because you're a wonderful person, and I am falling really hard and fast for you. Even though it scares me, I don't want to stop. I want to hold you and comfort you and show you that you're not the old Gajeel. "We're partners." Partners? Smooth, Levy. That really gets your feelings across.

"Oh." He stood up and walked to the kitchen, which was about three steps away. "Well, you shouldn't have."

"Why?" Bringing my plate to the small sink, I peered at him. He showed no emotion. There goes that wall.

"Because that was too valuable to lose." He looked directly at me with cold eyes that reminded me of the first time I saw him. When he beat me and tied me to the tree. When he was part of Phantom Lord. The old Gajeel. I took a step back and hit the wall. "Plus I'm not worth saving. You of all people should know that."

"Well, I believe differently." My heart pounded faster. What are you doing, Gajeel?

"You shouldn't." Gajeel straightened and stepped towards me. "You should be terrified and running as far away as you can." Is he trying to push me away? Why?

"I'm not leaving." I stood as tall as I could, but I was trembling.

"Why? I could break you like a toothpick." His skin began turning metal. Yep. He was trying to scare me into leaving so he could finish the mission on his own and live alone. Gajeel doesn't think he's a good person despite all he's done. He doesn't think he deserves affection of any kind.

"Do it." I spat. "It's better than what you're doing to me now." A tear slipped down my face. I had a bad habit of crying easily. At that, Gajeel's face softened. He reached up and wiped away the tear gently. Sadness overtook his face and I reached out to him. Gajeel moved away.

"If I'm hurting you that much," Gajeel headed for the door. "I'll leave."

"NO!" I shouted grabbing his sleeve. "Don't you dare leave." I set my jaw and dug my heals into the wooden floor. I knew I was nothing compared to him, but I had to try. Surprisingly, he stopped. "Since you can't use words, I'll say it. You don't think you deserve to live. You don't think you're a good person. But you're wrong! You've done so much for the guild. For me. You've changed so much. I don't fear you, Gajeel. I-I lo-"

"Stop!" He yelled. He picked me up and set me on the bed. He knelt in front of me and looked directly into my eyes. "I've done so many things. So many terrible things. I could never make up for them." He hung his head, but I picked it back up with my hands on his jaw.

"There's this thing called forgiveness. Once given, you don't have to make up for it. It's forgotten." His eyes showed hope before flickering to sadness again. "Gajeel, I forgive you." His eyes teared up, and he pulled me into a crushing hug. His hair tickled my nose, but I ignored it.

"Thank y-you." His voice wavered. I felt his hot tears against my shoulder. I rubbed small circles on his back and hummed softly. After who knows how long, Gajeel stood and laid onto the bed next to me. Before I could react, he pulled me into his arms and buried his face in my hair.


	12. Ch 12 - Confession

**A/N: Hello 2018! Welcome readers, have some feels (good or bad? read the chapter, hehe).**

 **~Jinx~**

"Ugh..." I fell onto my bed in frustration. Ever since we got the box from those loons, we had been trying to open it. So far, nothing. Not even a scratch on the box. It was obviously protected with magic. "We need a wizard that-."

"But we are wizards." Link interrupted. I shot him a glare, but before I could continue, Kyle interjected.

"Link, shut up. You're so stupid."

"You shut up, Kyle!" They both puffed out their chests and started yelling. Why do I keep them around? Oh yeah, because there is only so much you can do with Illusion magic. Note to self: never hire brothers, especially twins.

"Both of you, listen! We need a wizard that can figure out what's going on with this box and undo it. Unless either of you know how to do that, shut up."

"Oh..." They spoke in unison.

"What about that Levy chick? She seems to be super into spells and stuff." Kyle spoke softly.

"And how are we going to get her to cooperate?" Link looked at Kyle like he was dumb.

"Um, softy alert! Her boyfriend, duh." They were both making faces at each other.

"Yeah but do you really think they'll let us get the jump on them again?"

"Oh are you scaaared?" Kyle taunted.

"SHUT UP!" I sat up. "I have an idea."

...

"Boss, sir, um how do we know they are going to come for the box."

"If you were sent on a mission and someone stole something essential to your mission, what would you do?"

"Run-" "Hide-"

"...from the boss man." They spoke in unison again. I took a deep breath as I tried not to drive their heads through the wall.

"Or...you can get it back." I set the box on my nightstand and pushed them out of my room. "Now, go to sleep. Don't do anything else until I tell you to."

 **~Levy~**

I listened to Gajeel's breathing; he was asleep. I slipped out of bed and out the door. Time to get that box back. I felt bad that I was leaving him, but it was my fault that we lost the box in the first place. I needed to make it right.

I went back to the place we last saw them. It was harder to find because it was night. Most of the ashes were gone, but enough were there that I could make my spell. I quickly wrote out a locating spell. Magic was traceable if you had all the right tools and if they didn't know how to cast a hiding spell.

I picked up some of the ashes. I could still feel some of the magic on them. I quickly wrote out my spell and put on my glasses. I modified the spell slightly so that no one else could see it unless they wore my glasses. I wouldn't want to alert them. A line blue line appeared that would lead me to where they were hiding.

...

They were staying at a hotel not too far from the city limits. I used my letter magic to make a key to their rooms. The first room was where the blue light led me, and there were the two henchmen sleeping soundly. I cast an extra sleeping spell on them so I could search their room without being caught.

When I didn't find the box, I took off my glasses and went to the other room. Inside was the third man. Jinx. My blood boiled when I thought of what he did to Gajeel. Get the box and get out. I kept telling myself. The box was sitting on his night stand. With a pounding heart, I grabbed it and slipped out of his room.

 **~Gajeel~**

Levy opened the door quietly and walked in. She must have thought I was still sleeping. How did she not see me? Levy froze and made eye contact. She saw me.

"Where have you been?" I kept my voice low and quiet. How could she just leave like that? Especially with those crazy guys running around.

"Getting this." She set the box down gently. I snapped and launched myself off the bed.

"You went to the enemies camp?! Alone?! You didn't even tell me! No note! Nothing! What if you needed help?! What if they caught you?! What if-"

"Hey, I'm okay. I made it back. Nothing happened." Levy reached out to me, but I pulled back.

"How do you know they didn't follow you? What if this was part of their plan?!"

"Why would this be part of their plan? It would be the stupidest plan ever. They just gave the box back to me and let me go back to you." How was she staying so calm? Did she think this through? Wasn't I supposed to be the one that acted on instinct and made stupid decisions?

"Maybe they couldn't open it because they don't have the letters, so because of your magic and reputation, it'd be a great plan to let you have it. And when you figure it out and open it, they're gonna come after us."

Levy stayed quiet. Neither of us knew what to say now. We had the box back, but we could be playing right into their hands. I was scared, too. What if they went after Levy this time? What if I had to choose between her life and whatever was in that box? I couldn't make that decision.

We sat in silence for a while. The quiet was killing me, so I went to our tiny kitchen and began cooking. I might not know how to make tea, but I could cook eggs. I tried not to think as I cracked the eggs into the pan. It was difficult though. The only sound was the popping of the butter and eggs.

I scraped them onto a plate and walked over to Levy. She still hadn't moved.

"Levy...I'm sorry." Nothing. I put the plate next to her. "You should eat something."

...

The hours passed slowly, and Levy still hadn't spoken. It was killing me. She ate a few bites before working on the box. The most noise she made was a disappointed sigh or a frustrated grunt. Every time I made noise, she would freeze and become even quieter. I had hurt her and didn't know how to fix it.

The time to make dinner came around. I finished making her food and brought it to her. Her lunch hadn't been touched. Sweat droplets were forming on her forehead and her face was scrunched up. "Levy..."

She jumped at the sound of my voice. I offered her the plate. "Take a break."

"No." She squeaked. Tears formed in her eyes. "I need to fix this. I screwed up. I thought I was doing the right thing, righting my wrong. I just put us in more danger. The sooner I get this box open and we get back to the guild, the sooner this is all over and-"

"Levy..." I pulled her into a hug. "It's okay. We can go back to the guild tomorrow and you can work on it there. It'll be much safer to work on it there. I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"No, no. I deserved it. I was reckless and-"

"No, you don't. I may have been scared shitless when I woke up to find you missing. Yes, I was angry when I found out where you went, but I was more angry at myself for not being with you. I was scared you weren't going to return. But I still shouldn't have yelled at you. I should have hugged you and been grateful you came back safe."

"But..."

"No, buts. Yes, what you did was reckless, but it was also exactly what any Fairy Tail mage would have done."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

"Thank you." She smiled softly, making my heart flutter. It seemed like it had been forever since I had seen that smile. And knowing that I caused it made me say something impulsive.

"I love you."


End file.
